222 BOTANICAL GAZETTE [SEPTEMBER 
Most of the seeds are collected by Mexican women and children, 
who usually spread a sheet or blanket on the ground and then shake 
or pound the tree and its branches until the seeds fall from the open 
cone. Later in the season, the seeds are picked up by hand from the 
ground beneath the trees. In the best part of the seed harvest, 
enough are gathered by single families to be sold by the grain bag 
full or the wagon load. Since the Mexicans take almost no precau- 
tions against the spreading of smallpox, it is said that the worst 
ravages of the disease occur during a seed year of the pifion. Single 
dealers have- been reported as having bought gooo to 21,5008 (20,000 
to 50,000 pounds). The delicate flavor of the seed makes it a favorite, 
and an extensive market is being rapidly developed for it. During 
seed years the native collectors sell it at the rate of five to fifteen cents 
per pound, according to the ease of collecting the seed and the prox- 
imity of the market, while dealers in many of our cities sell the seed 
at a rate of forty to sixty cents per pound. 
REPRODUCTION 
Natural reproduction is limited because of the infrequency of seed 
years, unfavorable climatic conditions, infertility of seed, rapidity 
with which the seed loses its germination power, loss of seed eaten 
by rodents, birds, and man, and unfavorable site-conditions. Grazing 
interests are also a factor in limiting the reproduction of the species 
since sheep, cattle, and goats are grazed throughout its entire distri- 
bution. It is apparent to even the casual observer that extremely large 
areas are not reproducing themselves, yet owing to the difficulties of 
site and the methods by which the tree may be reproduced, the prob- 
lem of reproduction is an extremely difficult one, and one for which, 
at the present time, no adequate solution can be offered. 
FUTURE MANAGEMENT 
From the nature of the stand in the southwest, it is apparent that 
clear cutting would not be ari advisable system, because of the exposure 
of the site and the difficulties of restoring the stand. On the other 
hand, the large amount of seed consumed by man and other agencies 
makes natural seeding exceedingly difficult, and even though gt?! 
and fire are entirely eliminated, it is doubtful if satisfactory reproduc: 
